Cllr Dev Sharma (Lab, Newbury) confirmed that negotiations to provide swimming pools for the public in two Redbridge schools were “very well advanced”.

At the health, leisure and older people service committee, the cabinet member for civic pride said: “This is an exciting report where we can see things happening at last.”

Cllr Sharma said the funding shortfall for the project at Loxford School of Science and Technology, in Ilford, would be covered.

Sport England had indicated lottery funding of up to £150,000 could be available to renovate the school’s pool for public access.

Redbridge Council has already pledged £1.5m to this scheme, leaving an £80,000 shortfall.

Cllr Sharma announced: “The school have said that if the grant does not materialise, they would pay for the short fall.”

The council’s other scheme, to build a £4m public pool at Mayfield School, in Pedley Road, Goodmayes, is also progressing.

Cllr Sharma said: “With Mayfield one of the problems was negotiations with the school and they are well advanced.”

He said the council was confident an agreement would be finalised with the school to make the pool available to the community.

The cabinet member also reiterated the possibility of an additional Ilford town centre pool, through lottery funding.

As the Recorder reported last week, Sport England will be backing Redbridge’s bid for funding for a leisure centre.

Mr Sharma added: “We have ambitions that there should be another facility in the rest of the borough as well, possibly Wanstead.”